ELECTROMAGNETIC SCANNING IMAGER
First Claim
1. An imaging system, comprisinga housing adapted for positioning on a surface, said housing comprising:
- a source of electromagnetic radiation for generating radiation with one or more frequencies in a range of about 1 GHz to about 2000 GHz,an optical system optically coupled to said source so as to focus radiation received therefrom onto an object plane, said optical system directing at least a portion of the focused radiation propagating back from the object plane onto an image plane,a scan mechanism coupled to the optical system for controlling thereof so as to scan the focused radiation over a two-dimensional portion of the object plane, anda detector optically coupled to said optical system at the image plane to detect at least a portion of the radiation propagating back from a plurality of scanned locations in the object plane, thereby generating a detection signal, anda processor in communication with the detector to generate an image of at least a portion of the object plane based on said detection signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In one aspect, the present invention provides an imager, preferably portable, that includes a source of electromagnetic radiation capable of generating radiation with one or more frequencies in a range of about 1 GHz to about 2000 GHz. An optical system that is optically coupled to the source focuses radiation received therefrom onto an object plane, and directs at least a portion of the focused radiation propagating back from the object plane onto an image plane. The imager further includes a scan mechanism coupled to the optical system for controlling thereof so as to move the focused radiation over the object plane. A detector optically coupled to the lens at the image plane detects at least a portion of the radiation propagating back from a plurality of scanned locations in the object plane, thereby generating a detection signal. A processor that is in communication with the detector generates an image of at least a portion of the object plane based on the detection signal.
56 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An imaging system, comprising
a housing adapted for positioning on a surface, said housing comprising: -
a source of electromagnetic radiation for generating radiation with one or more frequencies in a range of about 1 GHz to about 2000 GHz, an optical system optically coupled to said source so as to focus radiation received therefrom onto an object plane, said optical system directing at least a portion of the focused radiation propagating back from the object plane onto an image plane, a scan mechanism coupled to the optical system for controlling thereof so as to scan the focused radiation over a two-dimensional portion of the object plane, and a detector optically coupled to said optical system at the image plane to detect at least a portion of the radiation propagating back from a plurality of scanned locations in the object plane, thereby generating a detection signal, and a processor in communication with the detector to generate an image of at least a portion of the object plane based on said detection signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of imaging, comprising:
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providing a housing adapted for positioning on a surface over an object plane and having a source of electromagnetic radiation for generating radiation with one or more frequency components in a range of about 1 GHz to about 2000 GHz, providing a focusing element in said housing that is optically coupled to said source, utilizing the focusing element to focus radiation from the source onto the object plane, scanning the focused radiation over at least a two-dimensional portion of the object plane so as to illuminate a plurality of locations over a two-dimensional region of the object plane, detecting at least a portion of the radiation propagating back from said illuminated locations on the object plane thereby generating a time-dependent detection signal, and analyzing said detection signal and said signals generated by said at least one sensor to form an image of the scanned portion of the object plane. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification